Q & A with Kip Andersen, Co-Director, What the Health

What the Health is the groundbreaking follow-up film from the Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn, creators of the award-winning documentary Cowspiracy. The film follows intrepid filmmaker Kip as he uncovers the secret to preventing and even reversing chronic diseases – and investigates why the nation’s leading health organizations don’t want us to know about it.

With heart disease and cancer the leading causes of death in America, and diabetes at an all-time high, the film reveals possibly the largest health cover-up of our time. With the help of medical doctors, researchers, and consumer advocates, What the Health exposes the collusion and corruption in government and big business that is costing us trillions of healthcare dollars, and keeping us sick.

Audiences will be shocked to learn the insidious roles played by pharmaceutical companies, agribusiness, and processed animal food companies in the nation’s health, especially in the most vulnerable communities, and will cheer at the transformation and recovery of those who took their lives into their own hands.

What the Health is a surprising, and at times hilarious, investigative documentary that will be an eye-opener for everyone concerned about our nation’s health and how big business influences it.

Here, Kip Anderson provides insight into the making of the film.

Q. What motivated you to look deeper into nutrition and health after focusing on the environmental issues around animal agriculture?

We covered some of the nutritional benefits of a vegan diet in Cowspiracy but I wanted to know more. Like a lot of Americans, I have a family history of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. I heard some troubling things while we were filming Cowspiracy and I decided to investigate further. It seemed logical that similar collusion is taking place within the health and medical industry as it is within the environmental movement. I was blown away by what I learned.

Q: How are What the Health and Cowspiracy similar and how are they different?

It is amazing how similar the two stories are, and the tactics that are used by big business to prevent information from reaching the public. Really, the main difference is how much easier it is to see the money/collusion trail between all of the industries we investigate in What The Health – health organizations, animal agriculture, government, and pharmaceutical industry – whereas Cowspiracy was a bit tougher to crack open.

Another difference is that there are a few more players involved in what we uncovered, with the pharmaceutical industry playing a huge role in profiting from this whole cover-up.

Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn, co-directors of Cowspiracy and What the Health

Q: Did you have more trouble gaining access to organizations this time because people were familiar with your work? Were you “recognized?”

Yes we did. Between the huge worldwide success of Cowspiracy, most organizations that are using some sketchy practices are much more leery of doing interviews, especially with us. But, we did get enough footage through various interviews, and going directly into these organizations’ headquarters, to show viewers the obvious disturbing roles everyone is playing.

Q: How can people find out about the link between diet and disease if doctors aren’t aware of it, or won’t talk about it, and health advocacy organizations aren’t telling the public about it?

They watch this film 🙂 We will also have an incredible facts page on our website at www.whatthehealthfilm.com.

It’s really important to me personally to get this information about diet and lifestyle choices out there. Two of my grandparents died of cancer. If we had known more, maybe things would have been different. I hope everyone who has a loved one with diabetes, or heart disease, or cancer, or who is overweight to the point that it impacts their health, will watch and share this film.

Q: What made you decide to follow individual people who had some of those very same health challenges?

We felt it was one thing for people to see all these studies and hear from progressive doctors who are willing to tell the truth about all of this, but then it intensifies the experience and trust of the whole film when one can see the incredibly powerful transformations from real people as they heal themselves from the problems that built up from years of these scary products.

Q: How and when will people be able to watch What the Health?

We’re releasing the film for a limited time on March 16 as a fundraiser for Food Not Bombs. We’ll make another announcement soon, I promise.

Yes. We are launching the film with a DVD for sale as well as an awesome companion What The Health Cookbook. It’s much more than your average cookbook because it’s also filled with all the facts from the film. These are intended to be powerful tools you can buy for yourself or loved ones who need to know this information, and how to act on it.

Q: How can people support the film?

I would love people to join our Thunderclap campaign to help spread the word through their social media accounts. It’s easy to do and it makes a huge impact, plus it will support our friends at Food Not Bombs. People can watch the film starting March 16, and then support their friends and family by purchasing a download, DVD, and/or cookbook to give to everyone they care about.

Kathy Rainbow-Friend

August 1, 2017 at 10:47 am

I just watched What the Health and really enjoyed it. I just had one issue and that was when the women with severe asthma said that after 2 weeks she was off a lots of her meds, I was VERY concerned about her saying that she stopped her antidepressant and Oxi. Both these drugs MUST be reduced gradually and 2 weeks would not be enough time. I would hate for someone taking these meds to follow what she said.

I feel that this is a health concern that you as a film maker has a responsible to address.

Hey Kip, I just watched What the Health and loved it. Twenty years ago I had been a vegetarian for ten years then became pregnant. My mid-wife told me I was extremely low in iron and insisted I started to eat meat. I did so for the sake of my babies brain. I noticed you did not mention iron in the film. What foods besides meat offer enough iron so I’m not excessively tired during and before my period. Presently, as I live in Australia, the only red meat I eat is kangaroo as it’s better for the evironment and has very little fat and is high in iron. I look forward to hearing from you. Keep up the good work, you’re great. Ann

Patricia Morrow

October 9, 2017 at 3:57 pm

I’m so glad for this video. I’m a vegan but sometimes I stray
a little. Since watching your video learning things I didn’tt
Know before. I’ll never stray again. I saw u on Dr Oz. I got
a little angry when Oz said you don’t have to go full vegan
Just add more vegies. I hope everyone’ who watches this video
see how important it is to go completely plant based diet.
not being a fraid of good health. Is coconut oil unhealthy

Gwen Abrams

November 2, 2017 at 9:25 am

I have watched “What The Health”. It was very informative and turned our thinking around on how we look at food. We have gone vegan after watching your documentary. What other films have you produced? What other research can we look into?

Udi Zeigerson

November 7, 2017 at 4:43 pm

This so called documentary is THE conspiracy. It is based on old and unfounded beliefs that meat and animal fat are bad for you and that sugar and empty carbs are actually not bad for you. Nutritional science has moved away from these beliefs a long time ago and the sole purpose of this film is to scare people into becoming vegan. Shame on you. If your objective is to protect the animals and/or the planet, make a documentary about that but all this film does is to add more confusion with trash science and unfair characterization of people and organizations

KHealthy

January 18, 2018 at 8:44 am

I watched the documentary and found it to be very disturbing to the point that I was ready to cut out all animal products. The very next day, I went to the doctor because of symptoms I’d been having for a couple weeks. He told me that he thinks I am anemic so I started to research what can cause Anemia. Vitamin B12 deficiency being one of the lead causes. With all my symptoms matching up to a vitamin b12 deficiency, I started researching natural sources of B12. The only natural sources are animal products with beef liver ranking number 2 in highest levels. The only way a vegan can receive b12 is by consuming it synthetically. This basically proves that humans ARE meant to eat certain animal products.

jess

March 2, 2018 at 10:04 pm

Hey,
just wanted to know how I could turn my family around to becoming vegan. I am 13 years old from Australia and urgently need help i love animals so so much and I want a better world for them and us, humans, cows, chickens, and pigs are very close to being like cats, dogs, and small parrots. I have done heaps of research and is fully equipped to change my life for becoming vegan my parents are half into the idea and would love to get free ways of getting cookbooks and more information on becoming vegan at this age.

Andrew Caine

May 11, 2018 at 3:42 pm

Hi Kip
My wife and i have just sat down to watch “What the Health” and what an eye opener.
We have watched Forks over knives and we felt the same after watching it. It was good to see that you incorporated Dr Esselstyn and others to get the message across along with so much research.
We want to eat healthier for a lot of reasons but how far do you have to take it?.
Do we have to eat unprocessed plant based foods or can we eat ready made (processed) veggie burgers and similar foods to get the same results.

Hi Andrew, I’m answering for Kip, as this is a contributed post on my site. In my opinion it’s fine to eat prepared veggie burgers and other convenient plant-based foods, as long as you serve them with plenty of fresh vegetables. A veggie burger dinner is certainly better than the meat version, especially when served with a salad and baked sweet potatoes or green veggies. Any small steps to a healthier diet will be rewarding. Good luck!